The beauty of the 32-team NFL is that it's created a balanced schedule. Conferences are split into four eight-team divisions. Regular-season schedules are more balanced in the sense that division teams play a rotating set of one AFC four-team division and one NFC four-team division each year, meaning every division plays at least 12 common opponents.

Balancing the schedule even carries unusual but fair aspects to the preseason. Most teams are starting around the same time between July 25 and July 29. That's allowed coaches, general managers and even some agents to get a few extra weeks of vacation.

Well, the vacation is over. The 49ers and Texans kick off training camps starting Saturday. By Monday, the Redskins report as do rookies from the Patriots, Browns and Chargers.

Aside from the smaller schedule of division games and new rivalries created by realignment, not much has changed since the end of last season. Rule changes are minor. The Tuck Rule remains, but more fans know about it. There will be about 15 new officials. Even though it was the second most active free-agency period, fewer big name players moved.

Sure, there was cap dumping. The Ravens and Jaguars head that list. Drew Bledsoe remains one of the most talent quarterbacks in the AFC East, but he's achieving that status in a Buffalo Bills uniform.

Here's your guide to get you into this year's training camps with 10 things to watch.

1. Rookie holdouts: Rookie holdouts of first-round choices might increase slightly. The CBA extension kicked in this season and will last through 2007. One of its features is a flattening of the rookie pool. Finally. Prior to this year, each rookie class has benefited for years with five to eight percent salary increases even though they've never worn a uniform. But team salary-cap increases slowed from $5 million a year to $3.8 million this season to $2 million next year. Raises for potential are over. It's causing an adjustment. That might cause some late arriving first-rounders. Last year, 19 rookies held out but only five for 10 or more days. In 2000, there were 35 late-arriving rookies, seven for 10 or more days. The rookie holdout number was 32 in 1999, seven for 10 or more days. To date, only two first-rounders are under contract. A $16,000 increase in the NFL minimum from $209,000 to $225,000 is furthering the squeeze because it counts for each draft choice in the rookie pool. The Texans already have top choice David Carr under contract, but the fact the rest of the top 20 choices aren't reporting until next week will leave the market for these first-round choice uncertain until next week.

	Ray Lewis has indicated that he won't be a holdout when the Ravens open camp.

2. Veteran holdouts: There should only be a handful of veteran holdouts. Ravens linebackers Ray Lewis and Peter Boulware say that they will report on time even though the inability to get contract extensions for the two has held the team hostage. The same situation exists with the Giants involving quarterback Kerry Collins and defensive end Michael Strahan. It may be tough for Chiefs franchise player Tony Gonzalez and Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones to get in on time because of the complications of their deals. If Broncos kicker Jason Elam is a few days late, it's not that big a deal. Elam is the Broncos franchise player, but he's not needed until the week before the first exhibition game. Negotiations for Steelers defensive end Aaron Smith will go down to the start of training camp and the possibility of a holdout exists there. Packers defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday wants a contract extension completed before camp. So do Bengals linebackers Takeo Spikes and Brian Simmons. Don't expect many veteran holdouts, but there are always a handful.

3. Quarterback battles: More teams are sorting out their starting quarterback questions during the exhibition season. Chris Redman (Baltimore), Jim Miller (Chicago) and Brad Johnson (Tampa Bay) head into camp as starters, but an injury or bad start could affect their statuses. New Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer has to decide between Doug Flutie and Drew Brees. Redskins coach Steve Spurrier will have the University of Florida showdown between Shane Matthews and Danny Wuerffel. In Detroit, Marty Mornhinweg must decide if he should start the season with Mike McMahon or rookie Joey Harrington. Texans coach Dom Capers knows that David Carr will be the starter, but the question is when. Kent Graham is the veteran who is supposed to lead the way until Carr is ready. There is a great battle in Cincinnati between Jon Kitna and Gus Frerotte.

4. Running back from injury: Don't expect to see much of the top halfbacks who were injured last season. Edgerrin James of the Colts and Jamal Lewis of the Ravens are coming off major knee injuries, but their coaches won't let them have too many carries during the preseason. It will be interesting to see how Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin handles oft-injured Fred Taylor, who is coming off a bad groin tear last season. The best halfback showdown is in Carolina between veteran Lamar Smith and rookie DeShaun Foster. The most pressure among halfbacks involves Thomas Jones in Arizona. With Michael Pittman moving on to Tampa Bay, Jones must perform well or this might be his last year as the starter.

5. Watching the heat: In camps, the heat index will be watched more than most stock index funds. The death of Korey Stringer in the Vikings camp last year has created a more compassionate training camp. It's still amazing to think that in the 1970s and early 1980s, coaches withheld water breaks for players. Trainers will stress hydration more than ever. The Vikings will have a physician available at every practice. It's rare to find a coach who will have back-to-back padded practices during a two-a-day session. If the heat index rises too much, coaches will trim sections out of their practices. Training camps are different now. Offseason programs begin in March and continue until two weeks before the opening of camps. With most teams getting their padded practices going 15 days before the first exhibition games, players don't have the luxury of reporting to camp out of shape. There isn't enough time for players to get in shape in camps. Last Friday, the Seahawks showed the serious nature of that trend by releasing linebacker Levon Kirkland because he struggled to get under 300 pounds. How easy are camps getting? Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin has scheduled only 10 two-a-day practices.

6. Closer to home: More teams are training at their headquarters. Lions president Matt Millen detested the circus atmosphere of training camp in Saginaw, Mi., so he moved camp into the plush training center near the Detroit Airport. The Houston Texans train at their expansive facility. The Browns, Packers, Dolphins, Jaguars, Jets and Titans are training at home. Jon Gruden, however, will be moving his new Bucs team to Disney World. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones opted for the air-conditioned comfort of the Alamodome in San Antonio.

7. The Cheese League: Expect less cheese and more miles from the old Cheese League. A decade ago, the state of Wisconsin made a push to make the state the hub of the NFL. The Cheese League shrank to three but it has nothing to do with the fondue related injuries to Jaguars kickers Jaret Holmes and Chris Hanson. The Bears moved from Plattville, Wis., to Bourbonnais, Ill., leaving only the Packers, Chiefs and Vikings in the old Cheese League configuration. Maybe it should be called the Beef League because there is a growing expansion of teams training in Illinois and Indiana. The Bears and Rams are in Illinois and the Colts aren't too far away from the Illinois state line in Terre Haute, Ind.

8. Camp Spurrier: The Oklahoma Drill is making a slight comeback. Schottenheimer stunned Redskins veterans by having a lively Oklahoma Drill session on the first day of camp. He's doing the same this year in San Diego. That drill features a defender going against a blocker and the defender's job is to tackle a back. Spurrier, believe it or not, is an Oklahoma drills kinda a guy, too. Don't be surprised if he uses them. Camp Spurrier may be a little tougher than most players expect.

9. The shrinking camp: Camps may be a little shorter this season. The Rams close their camp Aug. 14, just 20 days after its start. The Falcons may bolt from Furman University after a couple of weeks to train at their facility. The Colts will go only 20 days in Rose-Hulman Institute in Terre Haute. There will be fewer dual practices this summer.

10. How much hitting? Five pairs of teams will be working together Aug. 2-3 -- the Chiefs and Vikings, Browns and Bills, Titans and Dolphins, Texans and Cowboys and Saints and Jaguars. The Bucs and Dolphins will get together three days before an exhibition game in August. Coaches are worried about injuries, so they are scaling back hitting as much as possible. The regular season is a marathon, so coaches know that they can't afford to lose players in the pre-season.

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.